erotero wrote:Check your position first and foremost. Have in mind that having a position where the body weight is not properly distributed will lead to pain, suffering and numbness on wither your hands or your "bazooka". Try lowering or lengthening the stem, or both. After you find the "right" fit, then you may try different saddles if necessary. I experienced a similar numbness issue and solved it by lowering the stem 2cm. This allowed not only to distribute the weight better, but also to sit on my bones rather than on the soft tissue. The more you lower your torso to reach the bars, the closer the sitting bones get to each other. Also make sure you have good pedaling habits and not rotate your knees outwards, but rather keep the knee rotation limited inline with your feet. Kicking your knees out promoted opening of the hips and it can too lead to numbness. Hmmmmm... I can't think of anything else... My 2 ¢...
I appreciate this advice and understand that I might have a basic set-up problem beyond just needing a new seat. I did get a 'professional' bike 'fit' (computer aided session) but they seemed more focused on efficiency and power than comfort. I read one article about fitting that suggests being able to comfotably support the weight of your torso while seated but still in the bent over position...as if this would lead to correct weighting on the sit bones. Any truth to it? Also saddle angle......if I am going numb do I tilt down a bit to lower the nose away from the soft tissue or tilt the saddle up to stop from sliding forward?
If only this was simple
BTW, I found this posted on another site and it sounds exactly the same as my problem! Maybe an SMP is in my future. Too bad they don't have wide ones (145mm+) that are also light weight.
I have been riding the SMP Composit (the one with no padding, just leather wrapped carbon). for several years now. It is the best saddle I have ever ridden. I am getting a little older, and have considered the Evolution, but my butt is sooo used to the Composit, I am sticking with it. Prior to this saddle, I rode an Arione, and had frequent "numbness" issues. I was constantly out of the saddle, letting my "parts" wake up from the numbness of the ride.